That’s Advertainment!
An elevator ride these days might be a chance to catch up on world news. A plane ride or train commute is a chance to read an online newspaper. Standing in line for coffee is a chance to check Facebook or play Angry Birds. With the world of digital technology exploding, people are not only keeping themselves entertained at all times, they’ve come to expect it. And the technology world is complying; you can watch TV everywhere, listen to any type of music, play games and see videos whenever and wherever you want if you have the right device in your pocket.
Successful advertisers have taken notice and created ads that entertain their audience while informing them about their product. They know that ads that entertain result in higher user interactions, better retention and better brand association. Plus, those ads fall in line with the trend of entertainment everywhere – even where you least expect it.
There are a few tried-and-true methods for making your ads more entertaining:
- Add a game. Ads and campaigns with games consistently have the highest interaction rates, plus it’s a great way to build a relationship with consumers that is based on fun. Arnold did a great job for Thetruth.com, which features an entire suite of games that have also been used in online ads. The games do a great job of making some very serious points while still being engaging and fun.
- Make it funny. Euro RCSG’s creation of Dos Equis’s “Most Interesting Man in the World” has been a runaway success, resulting in internet memes, multiple awards and a 20-30% increase in sales every reporting period. Consumers actually turn up the radio when one of these ads comes on-what better way to get buyers to pay attention to your brand?
- Tell an interactive story. The Life of Julia at BarackObama.com has been extensively covered by every major news outlet and spawned a number of spinoffs online, and it has done so because it connects political policy to everyday life in a new way. Users are walked through a woman’s life from cradle to old age discovering more of how her life is affected by political issues along the way. More importantly, the user’s interaction is required to move the story forward, keeping them engaged throughout the experience.
- Reward the user. Give them points for interacting with the experience by awarding badges, racking up a big score or unlocking hidden content. This will keep them coming back for more.
No matter what you’re selling, there’s no reason for it to bore the audience. Engage in an effort to entertain them, and they’ll engage with your brand in return.
Andrea Bridges-Smith, Technical Sales Engineer
